the fair countenances of these fair Chiotes, are such as Milton describes by hyacinthine locks' crisped and curled like the blossoms of that flower *."

Collins has the same simile in his Ode to Liberty: "The youths whose locks divinely spreading,

Like vernal hyacinths in sullen hue.”

It occurs again in Sir Philip Sidney's Arcadia :

"It was the excellently fair Queen Helen, whose jacinth hair, curled by nature, but intercurled by art, like a fine brook through gölden sands, had a rope of fair pearl, which now hiding, now hidden by the hair, did, as it were, play at fast and loose each with other, mutually giving and receiving richness."

The Persian poet, Hafiz, also compares the dark Hyacinth to the locks of his mistress †. Lord Byron makes the same comparison, as also does Sir W. Jones repeatedly. Lord Byron says the idea is common to the Eastern as well as to the Grecian poets.

Allusions to the letters ai, supposed to be seen upon the ancient Hyacinth, are made by many of the poets. It requires but little assistance from the imagination to read them on the Martagon Lily.

"Del languido giacinto, che nel grembo
Porta dipinto il suo dolore amaro."

"The languid hyacinth, who wears

His bitter sorrows painted on his bosom."

Mr. Hunt, in his Calendar of Nature, after dwelling a little upon the question, whether the Martagon Lily is the true Hyacinth, quotes a passage from Moschus, which he thus renders in English:

"Now tell your story, hyacinth; and show

Ai, ai, the more amidst your sanguine woe."

One of our modern poems, also, has an allusion to this circumstance:

* Dallaway's Constantinople, p. 283.

+ See the Notes to Moore's Lalla Rookh.

"While I with grateful heart gather him yellow
Daffodils, pinks, anemonies, musk-roses,

Or that red flower whose lips ejaculate

Woe,—and form them into wreaths and posies."

AMARYNTHUS.

The description of the Hyacinth in Ovid exactly answers to the Martagon Lily :

"Sweet flower, said Phœbus, blasted in the prime

Of thy fair youth: thy wound presents my crime.
Thou art my grief and shame. This hand thy breath

Hath crush'd to air: I, author of thy death!

Yet what my fault? unless to have played with thee,

Or loved thee, (oh, too well!) offences be.

I would, sweet boy, that I for thee might die !

Or die with thee! but since the fates deny

So dear a wish, thou shalt with me abide,
And ever in my memory reside.

Our harp and verse thy praises shall resound;
And in thy flower my sorrow shall be found.

Behold! the blood which late the grass had dyed
Was now no blood: from whence a flower full blown

Far brighter than the Tyrian scarlet shone :

Which seemed the same, or did resemble right

The lily, changing but the red to white.

Nor so contented (for the youth received

That grace from Phoebus); in the flower he weaved
The sad impression of his sighs; which bears

Ai, ai, displayed in funeral characters."

SANDYS'S OVID, Book X.

There have been great disputes and differences about the Hyacinth: all were agreed that our modern Hyacinth was not the Hyacinth of the ancients; but the difficulty was to determine what was. The larkspur has laid claim to this honour, and some have supposed it to be the gladiolus, or corn-flag; but the best arguments have been urged in support of the Martagon Lily, which is now pretty generally acknowledged to be the true heir to this ancient and illustrious race.

HYDRANGEA.

SAXIFRAGEE.

DECANDRIA DIGYNIA.

The name is of Greek origin, and signifies a water-vessel. ONE of the most common plants seen in our balconies, windows, &c. is the Shrubby Hydrangea. It is very handsome; not only for its great balls of blossom, but perhaps yet more for its large luxuriant leaves. It is a native of North America, and flowers in July, August, and September.

The Garden Hydrangea, or Chinese Guelder-rose, is a much smaller plant. The flower-balls of this are not larger than the European Guelder-rose. They are of a beautiful rose-colour, much deeper than the blossoms of the Shrubby Hydrangea, which are sometimes almost white, faintly tinged with pink, and sometimes as faintly with blue. It is said that the blossoms of this plant will take the colour of any thing by which it is shaded; but it is more probable that its colour is modified by soil, air, age, health, &c. The Garden Hydrangea is much valued for its profusion of bright rosy clusters. Its birth-place is unknown; but it is very commonly cultivated in the gardens of China and Japan. If placed where it may enjoy the air, and the light and warmth of the sun, this plant will flower better in a room than in the open air.

The Shrubby Hydrangea will live through our winters very well. If a severe frost destroys the stalks, the roots will put out new ones in the spring: but if it is desired to preserve the stalks, that the plant may become larger, it will be safer to house it during the severity of the winter. It may be increased by parting the roots, which should be done late in October. When it is not intended to part the roots, and they have outgrown the pot they

have been lodged in, this is the best time to remove them to a larger. The Hydrangea likes a rich soil, and is one of the most thirsty of plants: to which circumstance, no doubt, it owes its name. It is not, however, to be called intemperate, since its thirst is entirely constitutional; and it desires no richer draught than pure water. This must be given liberally. In winter, when there are no leaves to nourish, a small quantity thrice a week will be sufficient; but in the summer it must be lavishly watered every evening, and, if the weather be very hot, in the morning also. If this is neglected, the plant will droop with a kind of magical quickness; and a large draught of water will as suddenly revive it: but a frequent repetition of such changes would materially weaken the plant.

"So have I often seen a purple flower,

Fainting through heat, hang down her drooping head,
But soon, refresh her with a gentle shower,
Begin again her lively beauties spread,

And with new pride her silken leaves display,

And while the sun doth now more gently play,
Lay out her swelling bosom to the smiling day."
P. FLETCHER.

“ Like as a tender rose in open plain

That with untimely drought nigh withered was,
And hung the head; soon as few drops of rain
Thereon distil and dew her dainty face

Gins to look up, and with fresh wonted grace
Dispreads the glory of her leaves gay.".

SPENSER.

Some of the gardeners have metamorphosed the word Hydrangea into head ranger, as if it had been named after the chief officer of a park. The misnomers of plants are often as amusing as those of ships. The poplar has become a popular tree; the elm is called ellum; acacia is twisted into casher; nasturtium into stertian; the jonquil is termed john-kill; and the pyracantha, pia-camphor.

Asparagus has so long been sparrow-grass, that it is now often deemed sufficient to term it grass alone. Loudon, in his Encyclopædia of Gardening, lately published, has strongly recommended the formation of these misnomers to gardeners, as a means of enabling them to recollect the true names of plants: and has given some very amusing and ludicrous instances; as cheese-monger for casumunar, Majocchi for mioga.

HYPERICEÆ.

HYPERICUM.

POLYADELPHIA POLYANDRIA.

French, la toute-saine [all-heal].—Italian, androsemo; erba rossa, -English, Tutsan, evidently a corruption of the French name; and Park-leaves, because it is often found in parks.

easy

THERE are a great number of Hypericums, all of culture. The following are the most generally cultivated in our gardens :

Those marked with an asterisk may be readily increased by parting the roots, in September or October. The flowers are yellow, generally in bloom from July to September; but the Chinese species will continue in blossom nearly all the year. The earth should be kept moderately moist.